Academia Barilla showcased its line of premium authentic Italian food products, and celebrated its line of the first gourmet celebrity product range, Giada De Laurentiis Selected by Academia Barilla, with a delicious Crostino Fantasia recipe that all attendees could enjoy this year at Food Network’s South Beach Wine & Food Festival February 19-22.  Presented by Food & Wine, the South Beach Wine & Food festival “a national, star-studded, four-day destination event showcasing the talents of the world’s most renowned winemakers, spirits producers, chefs and culinary personalities” gathered the top of the food industry worldwide on the beautiful shores of Miami’s South Beach.

Amidst the crowd were celebrity and culinary personalities like Food Network’s own Guy Fieri,

Ilan Hall & Hung Huynh with special guest Gail Simmons

	who hosted Barilla’s Interactive Cooking Lunches, Paul Bartolotta of Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare,
Scott Conant of Scarpetta,
	chef, cookbook author and tv personality Rocco DiSpirito, among many others.

Set inside the towering pillars of the Casa Barilla tent, with the Amalfi Coast in the background and the sounds of the rolling waves and the scent of fresh sea water close by, Academia barilla served a fresh dish perfect for the beach, Crostino Fantasia.

Enthusiasts crowded the tent as they waited in line to taste the sweet success: delicious sautéed red and yellow peppers over creamy Parmigiano Reggiano over a crisp piece of bread and topped with a sweet Balsamic Must and a Sicilian green olive.

For more information on South Beach Wine & Food Festival or for additional event images, please visit www.sobefest.com.

We’ll see you next year in South Beach as we gear up to stun the crowd even more for the 2010 South Beach Wine & Food Festival! Stay tuned for other Academia Barilla events in your area!